BIRTHDAY THOUGHTS

Someone had a birthday last Sunday (moi) and the odometer turned over double sixes.  If age is just a number, then maturity must be relative, too.

All the kind wishes from Facebook, emails, messages and cards...were a spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down.   I did appreciate the thoughtfulness of friends.

But birthdays aren't really so bad.  In fact, when you pass 60, you start being proud of having them.  And FOR REAL it doesn't take much to make a celebration.

For instance, I got to ride to church in the backseat with Mr. Brown Bibs.  Just looking at that profile makes my day.

And speaking of "looking"...recently my glasses went missing for a week.  I found the old pair the day after I bought new ones, but that's OK.  My prescription had changed anyway on this downhill slide.

The choice of glasses was between a stock pair that were reasonably priced and a pair with sparkly temples for an enlarged price.  My feet shuffled, but I made an executive decision that Mike wanted me to have birthday bling.

Another ordinary delight came Sunday afternoon when Mike came in with a McDonald's mocha frappe.  We both are addicted to those puppies and trying to quit, but...birthdays are made for exceptions.

Sunday night we went to hear a report from some folks who are home from a tough outpost.  Hearing of their perseverance in dealing with a tall language fence, an inhospitable culture, plus literal physical danger...left me weak.  God, bless those faithful ones!  The coalition of the willing for this particular post is not crowded, but their service is born of a compassionate desire to explain Isa.  That path (in my humble opinion) will get them a front row seat one day.

You know, we all bear the responsibility for the stewardship of our gifting.  Surely by my age, I should know my gifting and know how the Lord would use it.  I can tell you that when I write, big chunks of time fly by.  And people comment on it.  Those are two practical markers for knowing your gifting... you feel His pleasure and people confirm it.

HERE'S A LINK to a five-minute BBC video of a fascinating (abeit a little creepy) automaton.  He's a 240-year-old robot writer who must be viewed by our complex computers as an ancient cousin.  A Swiss clockmaker in the 1770's created this mechanical boy.  He would be amazing in any age, but especially since he's from the 18th century!

The automaton and I have something in common.  We just put down what we are programmed to say.  My friend Marilyn used to say the Lord was the ventriloquist and she was just the dummy.  Same principle.  

Of course, sometimes my sin can cause my words to come from me alone.  But if WORDS COME OUT AS PURE TRUTH, I know someOne else is at work on the keyboard.  

Has God told you to do something?  Inspiration from the Holy Spirit used to be a good thing because it is said to indicate sonship (Romans 8:14).  Now you may get a looney net thrown over you for saying God speaks to you. 

Here are some things the Bible says about how God the Holy Spirit interacts with people:

A heart that has embraced the claims of Christ gains the Holy Spirit.
(1John 3:23,24)

We are sons of God because of our adoption

and the Spirit bears witness to our spirit of that relationship.  (Romans 8:16)

The Holy Spirit convicts and leads to repentance
as He brings Christ's words to our minds.   (John 16)

The Holy Spirit restrains evil.  (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

God gave us the Holy Spirit to be our Guide, Comforter,
Teacher, Advocate, and Help.   (John 14)

So the Holy Spirit's job is to inspire, instruct, empower, and to translate God's words.  Then our job is to listen and cooperate.

If you hear something and you're wondering if somebody's inspiration is true, run it through that great truth colander, the Bible.

In this sixty-sixth year, my favorite Bible truth now is about Christ's return when we get new bodies; this old tent is ready for the trade-in.

My sparkly new specs are stylin', but I won't even need them one day.

Now THERE'S a thought to dwell on!

"Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  Romans 5:5